


It was not meant to end like this

by Seraxa Reborn (WierdAlienFantasies)



Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Timeline, Arachnid troops appear but they have no lines, F/F, F/M, Implied MC/Estela and/or MC/Sean and/or MC/Jake and/or MC/Quinn, Multi, Not A Fix-It, One of the 2139 times things went very wrong, Time Loop, f!Taylor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 10:09:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16910976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WierdAlienFantasies/pseuds/Seraxa%20Reborn
Summary: Across 2,139 timelines it was not enough. No matter how hard they all fought, they lost.Though out of all the timelines, there is only one that the Endless refused to even look at. She visited it only three times, in each case to gather a sample of blood needed to forge the idols. She's just glad she was unconscious when she lived through it the first time.





	It was not meant to end like this

Backlit by the sinister green glow of the containment pods containing the guests of The Celestial, Rourke takes a moment to smooth down his suit. With a grin he turns back to the group, eyes roaming over each in turn. Clearing his throat, he addresses them as one.

“I’m going to give you a choice. You can work for me- Rourke International has plenty of uses for people of your particular skillset. I’ll even pay you a generous salary. Think of the good we can do working together.”

He pauses. Aleister looks pleadingly at Grace, eyes begging her to accept. She sniffles, but does not speak. Every member of the group meets Rourke’s eyes without flinching, but none of them say a word. With a sigh, he continues.

“The other alternative is you get placed in stasis to prevent any further interference. I am told the process has been improved dramatically… what is the success rate now, Lila?”

Lila does not meet the gaze of the group as she responds.

“83% Mr Rourke.”

Rourke’s grin stretches further.

“Ah yes, 83%. Only 2 or 3 of you would die then, quite an improvement from the earlier methods let me tell you. So, what will it be?”

Taylor glances around at the rest of the group. She knows exactly what each of them think. Turning back to Rourke, she speaks.

“We’d rather spend the rest of our lives in stasis than lift a single finger to help you.”

Rourke chuckles.

“Ah Taylor, the mystery, you do not disappoint. I really would prefer to have you by my side though, so maybe you just need proper motivation.”

His eyes alight on Estela. He gestures to the four Arachnid guards restraining her.

“Bring her forward, have her down on her knees facing me.”

Estela struggles and spits curses at her guards but cannot break free. Rourke pulls a pistol out from within his jacket and loads it. As Estela is roughly forced to her knees, he walks over to her. She glares up at him, hatred burning in her gaze.

“Coward! I am not afraid of you, _snake_.”

Rourke merely chuckles, removing the safety. As he aims the pistol at Estela’s forehead he taunts her.

“My my, you are a feisty one. Just like your mother, isn’t that right Lila?”

Lila’s face contorts in a mixture of regret and sadness, her eyes darting to the floor as she mumbles.

“Yes… Mr… Rourke…”

Estela gives a roar of anguish, her struggles intensifying but to no avail. Rourke closes one eye as he lines up the shot.

Before he can fire Taylor breaks free of her Arachnid guards and launches herself between Estela and Rourke.

**Blam!**

Taylor takes the shot in her chest, crumpling to the ground. There is a moment of shocked silence, then all hell breaks loose.

With a roar Jake and Sean overpower their Arachnid guards, sending them crashing into each other. Jake pauses to bend down and retrieve the closest guard’s pistol. With expert precision he locks and loads, then turns on the gathered swarm of Arachnid troops. With brutal accuracy he shoots out the joints of nearby soldiers, incapacitating them with a ruthless efficiency. Meanwhile Sean throws himself on any guard in his path. Using modified football tackles he slams them to the ground, producing the sounds of crunching bones and whimpers of pain.

Estela viciously lashes out, managing to throw off her four guards with newfound strength. She turns on them like a wild animal, howling in a guttural mix of rage and loss. She does not flinch, even when pistol whipped over the head by one soldier, merely destroys all laid before her. Quinn cries out in anguish as Taylor’s body crumples to the ground. Her body shudders, then her eyes glow green as in her distress she loses control and Vanu takes over. Her Arachnid guards go flying back into the wall as she levitates off the ground, turning to face Rourke. Her voice booms out, distorted by power.

“ **You. Took. Her. From. Me.** ”

With a gesture she sends the pistol flying from Rourke’s hands. His eyes widen in shock, then a flash of fear passes across his face. With another gesture Quinn sends a wave of force slamming out, catching Rourke in the chest and hurling him into the far wall. Lila leaps for the pistol and starts firing on Quinn. Quinn barely seems to notice, a casual flick of her wrist stopping each bullet dead and letting them drop to the floor.

The other Arachnid guards slap on strange futuristic handcuffs to their charges before drawing their weapons and entering the fray. Sean, Jake, Estella and Quinn are vastly outnumbered, but fight with such ferocity they are not overwhelmed. The others struggle against the handcuffs to no avail, then offer encouragement to the fighters instead.

“Oh man, you’re like Hawkeye but with a gun instead of arrows!”

Diego gasps, awed by Jake’s aim. Craig cheers on Sean with a spirited chant.

“Ain’t nobody who can stand against my main man! Number 5! Number 5! Number 5!”

Zahra gives a low whistle, a grin spreading across her face.

“Hit him again Quinn! PWN his sorry ass!”

Raj is watching Estela, a mixture of awe and fear on his face. He whispers half to himself.

“That is so cool, but also terrifying. Like, I think I peed myself watching this…”

Grace however is focused on Taylor’s body where she lies crumpled. Michelle has managed to get close to her but, with her hands restrained, is struggling to do anything to help. Eyes glistening with tears, Grace stammers out.

“I-is… is she…”

Michelle gives out a cry of frustration, then takes a deep breath and delivers her shrill piercing whistle. Everyone, even the Arachnid soldiers and Lila, freeze. Her concern making her angry, Michelle snaps out.

“All of you, stop wasting time! Taylor’s bleeding out and you’re all too focused on punching each other to help…”

Estela, Quinn, Jake and Sean turn to gaze at the crumpled body of Taylor. Before any of them can act Rourke takes out a device from his pocket. A smooth metal cylinder surrounds a glowing blue crystal fragment punctured by wires. With a push of a button, Rourke unleashes a wave of blue light from the device. Everyone around him locks into place, suddenly unable to move. Dusting himself off, he rises to his feet and saunters back to face the group.

“What you’re experiencing is a frozen time field. Unfortunately we have been unable to extend the effects beyond a few minutes, but as I’m sure you can see that is more than enough for certain applications. Rourke International also developed a counter measure, which I saw fit to distribute to the Arachnid soldiers.”

He turns to address them.

“Re-restrain the lot. This time use any force necessary.”

As the soldiers set about gathering up the immobilised group and restraining them, Rourke turns to Lila.

“Go and check on Taylor.”

Dipping her head briefly in respect Lila scrambles away to check on Taylor. A deep scarlet stain spreads across her front, but the faint rise and fall of her chest can be made out. Lila pours over her body, before turning back to Rourke.

“She is still alive. The bullet missed her vital organs, but she is bleeding out. She’ll die soon.”

Rourke sighs, genuine regret flashing on his face.

“What a waste. I had really hoped I could use Taylor, but she’s just too unco-operative. Still, I need her alive for the process to be a success. Place her in stasis.”

The others watch in horror, unable to move or even speak, as Lila hefts Taylor up and carries her to the containment pod at the centre of the room. With practiced ease Lila attaches a series of wires and monitors to Taylor then fastens a mask over her lower face. Finally she steps back, sealing the containment tube up. With a soft hiss green fluid seeps into the tube until it fills it, leaving Taylor suspended. Rourke smiles, gesturing a Lila.

“Excellent work. Now, my pistol if you please.”

Lila bows her head, quickly scurrying over to Rourke to hand him the weapon before backing off a respectful distance. With a shimmer the frozen time field surrounding the group fades. They are all too well restrained to even struggle, and too shocked to speak. Addressing the Arachnid soldiers once more, Rourke gestures to first Jake and then Quinn.

“These two are needed. Take him to the cells on sub-level 5, and her to biomedical research lab 2.”

He turns back to the group as Jake and Quinn begin to be dragged away. They struggle, and the others try in vain to break free and help them. Shaking his head, Rourke continues on.

“Sadly, their usefulness means they cannot be properly punished for their actions. You two on the other hand…”

**Blam! Blam!**

Rourke whips round and in a smooth motion places a bullet through first Estela then Sean’s hearts. Sean stares in shock at the wound for a moment, before turning to the rest of the group. There is an unbearable sadness in his eyes as he speaks.

“I’m sorry.”

With that his body slumps forward, hitting the ground with a sickening thump. Estela does not take her eyes off Rourke. Even as a dark stain spreads across the front of her hoodie and her breath comes in wet gasps, she remains fixed on him.

“Won’t… escape me… that easily…”

Rourke frowns slightly, before his smile returns.

“You really are persistent. I’ll give you that.”

**Blam! Blam!**

He fires off another two shots into Estela’s chest. She gasps in pain, then grits her teeth. Her legs buckle, sending her crashing to her knees. A pool of blood starts to form on the floor, flowing freely from her ruined chest. Somehow she stays conscious, blood staining her lips as she forces out words.

“Go… to… hell…”

As the final word leaves her lips she slumps forward, her body lying just inches from Sean’s. For a moment everything is still, as though time itself is bearing witness. Then chaos breaks out once more. Jake redoubles his struggles, causing three more Arachnid soldiers to surround him and force him out the room.

“You’ll pay for this, Phony Stark! You better sleep with one eye open from now on, because I’m coming for you. You hear me? I’ll see you taken down if it kills me…”

His voice fades away as he is taken deeper into the M.A.S.A.D.A. complex. Quinn meanwhile is dragged off in the other direction. She puts up no resistance, tears falling freely as she murmurs to herself

“No… Estela… Sean… it can’t be…”

Rourke pays neither any mind, focusing solely on the remaining catalysts. Tears mar Michelle’s usually flawless mascara as she stares at Sean’s body. Craig too is staring at Sean, but his face is a mask of pure rage. Grace is quietly sobbing, Diego awkwardly patting her on the back. Aleister makes a move as if to go towards her, but stops himself. Raj is staring at Estela’s body as her blood pools towards him, a look of total disbelief on his face. Zahra’s face is concealed, her frozen posture giving nothing away. Clearing his throat, Rourke draws attention back to himself.

“So, with that unpleasantness out the way, I shall repeat my offer. This is your last chance to join me and help save the world.”

Craig laughs, a harsh sound devoid of mirth. Staring Rourke dead in the eye, he spits in his direction. Michelle, in a burst of surprising strength, nearly breaks free of her restraints as she rages against him.

“You killed them! In cold blood! You’re no saviour, you’re just a common murderer! I took the Hippocratic Oath, I sure as hell won’t side with a psychopath like you!”

Rourke sighs, a bored expression on his face. Raising his pistol once more, he fires a shot straight through Craig’s forehead.

**Blam!**

Craig instantly slumps to the floor, a look of confusion on his face. Grace screams, and even Lila and Aleister look horrified. Rourke levels the pistol at Michelle, but as he pulls the trigger nothing happens. With a shrug he tosses the weapon, now empty of ammunition, aside and strides over to her. Hoisting her up with one arm, he holds her by the throat with superhuman strength. Michelle struggles against him, but with her hands restrained and her feet off the ground she is powerless to fight. Rourke stares dead into her eyes, smiling at the brief flash of fear he sees. Then, with a casual flick of his wrist he snaps her neck with a dreadful crack. He lets go of her body, which crumples to the ground between Craig and Estela. Smoothing down his suit, he addresses the remaining four catalysts without looking at them.

“Ah, I suppose the rest of you will insist on being difficult too…”

“Wait!”

Zahra’s voice rings out. She slowly stands from where she was crouched beside Craig’s body.

“I… I’ll do it. I’ll join your stupid company. I know when a battle’s lost, and it’s time to cut and run.”

Rourke regards Zahra for a moment, sizing her up. Slowly a smile spreads across his face, and he steps forward to clap her on the back.

“Excellent Ms Namazi. Rourke International will benefit immensely from someone of your skill level.”

“Zahra, don’t do it!”

Raj calls out. Diego joins in, his eyes wide in fear.

“Don’t go over to the dark side, that always ends badly…”

Rourke narrows his eyes, turning to Lila. As he turns from Zahra, he misses her gaze shift back to Craig’s body one last time. A dark fire burns in her eyes for a second, before she carefully schools her expression once more.

“Lila, prepare these three. They are harmless but ultimately of little use. Still, the process is more likely to succeed if they are alive, so have them placed into hydrodynamic stasis.”

Aleister finally speaks.

“Father, you promised Grace would be unharmed.”

Rourke chuckles, waving his hand dismissively.

“Of course, of course. You there,”

He points to one of the remaining Arachnid soldiers.

“Escort Ms Hall to one of the secure holding cells. We’ll have her transferred to secure,”

He holds up his hand to silence Aleister’s protests

“but amenable quarters once they are prepared. Aleister, Ms Namazi, follow me. Let’s get you properly inducted into Rourke International…”

With that he strides off, Zahra and Aleister hesitating for a moment before following him. Grace, still sobbing, is hauled to her feet and led off as Lila prepares two more stasis pods. Diego and Raj struggle, but cannot break free.

“Dude, I do not want to end up as the centrepiece of a Jell-O desert! I don’t even taste that good!”

“Rourke can’t get away with this, right? Someone’ll stop him. That’s like the rule of every film, the supervillain gets stopped…”

As Lila hauls first Raj then Diego into their pods, she watches as the fluid filling them stifles their cries. A flicker of sadness crosses her face, as she turns to face the room now devoid of life.

“I’m sorry, but he’s already won…”

**Author's Note:**

> The Corvus-Lupus-Serpens timeline (from book two) really fascinated me. This piece technically takes place simulataneously before the start of book one and during book two (blame La Huerta's temporal rifts).
> 
> This is the most characters I've played around with in the same scene (fourteen!), so any feedback would be gratefully received! I have no plans to write any further pieces in this fandom, but I hope this one is (at least somewhat) enjoyable.


End file.
